Main content

Sickness benefit claimer: ‘I feared going to the job centre’

People suffering from severe chronic conditions will no longer have to be continually reassessed in order to claim sickness benefits, the government has announced.

The Work and Pensions Secretary Damian Green says the Employment Support Allowance will now continue automatically for those with the most severe health conditions

Illnesses such as Huntington’s, autism or a congenital heart condition are amongst those most likely to qualify for continued payment without the need for reassessment.

Keran Bunker, who is on the autistic spectrum and suffers from ADHD, told 5 Live the change means “it’s not going to put the stress on me that it is doing now”.

He said constantly making new job centre appointments and facing the pressure of benefit sanctions “makes your condition even worse”.

This clip is originally from 5 Live Breakfast on Saturday 1 October 2016.

Release date:

Duration:

2 minutes

This clip is from